A Home for a Stray
by XenonRaumzeit
Summary: A stray abandoned by the world and left in the cold stumbles across a bakery run by the warmest heart she had ever met. Could this be the home she has been looking for?
1. A Home For A Stray

The wind howled as it whipped down the ice-encrusted street. The clouds obscuring the moon, the only light came from the street lamps. Well after midnight, but before sunrise, there was no one out on the street except one lone figure. Dressed in many layers of coats, with a scarf wrapped around her head, she picked her way slowly down the sidewalk.

Blake coughed violently, pausing so she wouldn't slip on the slick ground. Constant exposure to the cold and lack of sleep was taking a massive toll on her, it didn't help that she hadn't had a reliable place to stay in months. Homeless and unemployed, she had to stay up during the night moving around to avoid freezing in the coldest winter Vale had ever seen.

As she started again, she looked at all the apartments and businesses on the street she walked down. It was just past Christmas, but before New Year's Day. Though, the only reason she knew that was the change in decorations on the streets. She hadn't needed to know the exact date in quite some time. All the people asleep right now were nice and cozy in their beds, surrounded by family and loved ones, completely uncaring about her plight.

Looking up, she saw something unusual. One of the shops on the street had its lights on, the warm light streaming onto the sidewalk and road. Approaching the large glass window, she noticed the design of a large twisting golden dragon with the words 'Sun Dragon Bakery' written underneath in stylized cursive. A fresh set of footprints lead up to the door.

Coming to a stop in front the door, she slowly raised her hand to knock. Bakers were always up early, making sure they had plenty of fresh goods for their earliest customers. Maybe whomever was inside would take pity on her and let her enjoy a few minutes of warmth.

No. Assuming she was even let in, the baker would surely kick her out as soon as they found out that she was a faunus. Being homeless was already hard enough without the extra prejudice that came from having an animal trait which, in her case, was a pair of black feline ears.

Lowering her hand, she doubled over as a coughing fit wracked her body. Bracing herself against the door so she wouldn't fall onto the ice covered concrete, she let out a small squeal as the door gave way and she tumbled into the warm bakery.

Waiting silently, she breathed out a sigh of relief when no one came to investigate. While she was loath to steal anything, if the baker was distracted, there was a possibility she could grab some food. No, that wasn't fair. She shouldn't taint someone else's fortune with her own misfortune. Still, would a few missing pieces really hurt anyone?

While she sat on the ground deciding on her plan of action, heavy footsteps padded away from her and, by the sound of it, went up a flight of stairs. Soon after, the faint sound of shower filtered down into the bakery. If she was going to steal something, this would be her best chance.

Scrambling to her feet, the faunus made her way around the bar that extended from one wall and back into the kitchen. So used to the bitter cold, the heat from the baking area was almost unbearable to Blake.

The brightly lit room was almost unnaturally clean, except the island, which had multiple trays of dough rising surrounded by a thin layer of flour. One side of the kitchen was almost completely covered by ovens and a stove top, while the other had cabinets, shelving, and a large refrigerator. The back wall was what interested her most. Several containers of already baked goods, likely from the day before, sat on the countertops.

Quickly stealing across the room, she came up to the goods. Picking up her first loaf of bread, she gave it a ginger squeeze. While not fresh, the bread was still good. She could easily fit it, as well as several others, under her coats and hopefully escape before she was discovered.

"You know what they say about curiosity, right?" A smooth and playful voice called out from behind her.

Blake yelped with surprise and dropped the loaf of bread back onto the counter. Whirling around, she saw a woman about her age standing in the doorway to the kitchen with one hand on her hip. The woman, who Blake assumed was probably the baker, was at least a few inches taller than herself, with a huge mess of, still damp, blonde hair that reached down to her waist. Dressed in loose pants and an apron, the woman's tank top left her well-toned arms bare.

"I-I… I'm sorry!" Blake croaked out, her voice hoarse from coughing. She realized she was probably in a lot of trouble. Not only would the baker call the police, but the woman looked strong enough to easily detain her until they arrived. Slowly starting to back away, she unwillingly paused as the woman left out the most beautiful laugh she had ever heard.

"Don't worry, you aren't in any trouble, yet." As the blonde began walking towards her, she tried to take another step back, bumping into the counters in the process. While the woman's tone was friendly enough, it was possible she was just trying to trick her. It wouldn't be the first time someone pretended to be nice to gain her trust.

The blonde must have realized she spooked Blake. Stopping in her tracks, she gestured at the dropped bread.

"You'll only be in trouble if you don't eat that." Turning to the stove top, the woman started pulling out various cooking implements. "There's butter in the cabinet, and jam in the fridge. Take as much as you need."

Still wary of the blonde, Blake waited until the tall woman was engrossed with her stove, before trying her luck. Slowly creeping forward she silently edged behind the other woman's back. Her heart raced as she approached the door, only a few more steps and she would be free.

"Stop."

She gasped as a firm grasp encircled her wrist. The blonde spun her around so they were face to face. "You aren't leaving until you eat that bread. That's what you wanted wasn't it? A warm place to sit for a second and some food?"

Pulled face to face with the blonde, Blake realized how beautiful the other woman was. The baker's skin was smooth and pale, except around her eyes, where small creases showed how often the blonde smiled and laughed. The eyes themselves, Blake thought could be a work of art. The vibrant lilac orbs were full of joy and happiness.

The woman seemed to exude an aura of warmth and comfort. Her own heart stuttering at the taller woman's proximity, she could only nod in response as she stared into the baker's eyes. Feeling the hand around her wrist slip into her own, she let herself be led to a spot on the far side of the island where the blonde pulled out a stool for her.

Sitting down, she stared at the table in front of her. Despite every instinct telling her not to, she finally relaxed. While she still didn't know the taller girl's motives, she felt secure enough that the baker meant her no ill will. A twinge of sadness hit Blake as the blonde moved away, taking her unnatural warmth with her. She returned shortly, placing the bread, a tray of butter, and a jar of strawberry jam by the bread.

"Thank you?" Blake whispered out, still unsure.

"No problem." The baker chirped back. "Take as long as you would like. You look hungry and it is too cold to be outside right now."

With her anxiety dying down, Blake felt her hunger return in full force. Biting eagerly into the bread, not bothering to tear it or dress it with anything, she wolfed the first half of the loaf in record time. She didn't stop until she heard the melodic laughter from behind her again.

"Slow down… uh… miss…" The blonde trailed off, obviously waiting for her to reveal her name.

"I'm… no one." Despite the blonde's current generosity, there was no telling what she would do with Blake's name if she knew it. She decided it was best not to say anything.

"That's alright if you don't want to tell me." The baker didn't miss a beat and flashed a playful grin in her direction. "Anyways, there is plenty for you if you need another loaf."

"I couldn't, you've already been too-"

"I insist." The taller woman dumped the contents of the pans she had been cooking with onto two plates. Setting one of them down in front of Blake, she walked around to the other side of the island with the other. Blake looked down astonished, the plate was piled high with steaming hot scrambled eggs and sausage.

The blonde sat across from her with her own plate of eggs and sausage, and tore off a piece of the loaf Blake had been eating from, smothering it with butter.

"You must be hot in all those layers." The blonde spoke through her mouthful of bread.

While Blake had originally enjoyed the heat of the kitchen, it was now starting to overwhelm her and make her sweat. Nodding in agreement she began to unbutton her top coat.

Slowly shedding layers, she finally found some reprieve from the stifling heat of the kitchen. Giving a sigh of relief, she froze when she heard a gasp from the other side of the table.

Without even realizing it she had pulled the scarf off her head revealing her black cat ears.

"You're a faunus?" the blonde looked at her with an odd look on her face.

Blake tensed up and slowly reached for her coats in case the baker reacted negatively. While the blonde had been nothing but polite and generous so far, most people at least shunned her, while others mocked or even attacked.

"You're so cute!" The tall woman's entire face lit up in a gigantic smile.

"Uh." She definitely wasn't expecting that. "Thanks?"

"Your'e welcome." The blonde dropped back to a more serious tone and continued eating her food. Slowly returning to her own, she mulled over the blonde's reaction in her head until she felt too stuffed to continue. Despite the friendliness shown to her, she didn't want to overstay her welcome any longer.

"Thank you for the food." Blake dipped her head in a small bow. "I'll leave now, the sun should come up soon and it won't be so cold and I can find a place to rest."

"Nope." The blonde replied popping the 'p'.

"What?"

"That's not all you needed."

"You've been so generous, I just…"

"You need more than just some food. When's the last time you've had a shower?"

"About…" Blake racked her brain. When was the last time she was even allowed into a shelter? Since they found out she was a faunus she had been solely on the streets.

"Too long, apparently." The blonde grabbed her hand and started pulling her out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Realizing it was futile to resist the taller girl's oddly demanding kindness, she followed her to the second floor of the bakery.

At the top of the staircase was a door separating the upstairs from the commercial area. As the blonde pushed the door open, it revealed a large, open living room. The two walls over the front and back of the bakery were covered in windows; the accompanying yellow and lilac curtains were pulled shut. In the middle of the room was a large, comfortable looking couch facing one of the biggest TVs she had ever seen. Tucked into a corner was a desk with a laptop. On the final wall was a single door that was half open.

Making a beeline for the door, the blonde pushed her into the room

"The bathroom is attached to my room. Leave your clothes outside the bathroom and I will throw them in the wash for you." The blonde smiled at her. Avoiding those, what Blake had decided, damnable eyes, she had no choice but to agree.

Quickly taking in the small bedroom, there wasn't much to it. A poorly made queen bed with purple and orange sheets sat in the center of the room with a closet on one side and a small dresser and nightstand with a few pictures on the other. Yellow curtains were pulled to the side of the only window.

Placing a spare towel from underneath the sink on the carpet before stripping out of her many layers, she left the dirty clothes outside the bathroom before securely locking the door behind her. Stepping into the hot shower, she relished the first touch of hot water she had felt in a long time. Focusing on scrubbing off the layers of grime and filth that had accumulated over the months, she finally saw her true skin color, almost not recognizing it.

Why was this mystery blonde doing this? She had snuck into her bakery and tried to steal food, and now she was being rewarded with all she could eat and a hot shower? It made no sense.

Intent on not using up all of the baker's hot water, she shut it off and stepped out into the steamy room. Drying thoroughly, she wrapped the towel around herself and stepped back into the bedroom where an oversized pair of black sweatpants and yellow t-shirt lay folded on the bed.

Trading her towel for the clothing, a note fell out of the folded bundle. Picking it up, it took her a little bit to read the hasty scrawl.

Hope these clothes fit you well enough. Your clothes will take awhile to wash and dry. Enjoy a nap on my bed while you wait.

With no other options left to her, she turned to the sloppily made bed. Crawling beneath the covers, she fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Awakening to the the winter sunlight pouring in through the windows, Blake sat up and stretched. Looking over to the clock, she realized that she had only been asleep for a few hours. It was only 10, but she felt like she had slept for several days. Even when she had been allowed into shelters, the mattresses were worn down and lumpy. The baker's bed was possibly the most comfortable thing she had slept on in as long as she could remember.

Rolling to get out of bed she looked around for her clothing. The blonde had promised she would wash them, so she could leave. Though the more she thought about it, the less she wanted to do so. The baker was the first person in years who had shown her genuine kindness despite knowing she was a faunus. She didn't have much desire to leave now.

Her search failed to turn up her own clothes, but she did spot some other clothes sitting next to the door into the living room. A purple shirt, that judging by the length, belonged to the blonde herself, along with a belt worked as a tunic for her. However, the leggings with rose petal patterns fit her almost perfectly, ending a few centimeters below her knees. As they were slightly too short for the baker, she guessed they must have been borrowed from someone else. Finally, several pairs of flats in different sizes sat next to the clothing.

Getting dressed quickly, she made her way down the stairs. While the borrowed clothes were incredibly comfortable, they weren't warm enough for the winter weather. If she was going to leave anytime soon, she needed her coats and scarf back.

Stepping out onto the main floor, she was almost immediately overwhelmed by the number of people in the bakery itself. The blonde must have quite the reputation to draw such a crowd, even after most people were at work.

Instantly spying the baker behind the counter, the woman was a wellspring of energy and happiness. Unable to call out to her because she still didn't know her name, Blake made her way up to the counter. The blonde's energy suffused her so much with her own happiness she forgot that her ears were uncovered until she accidentally bumped into one of the many patrons of the bakery.

"Watch where you're going, you filthy faunus." The man growled at her.

Trying to avoid confrontation, Blake immediately apologized.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump you."

"Jeez, can't we go anywhere without there being one of these degenerates around." The man turned away from her to his friends. "It's like they think they're people."

Blake bowed her head, trying to fight back her tears as the man's friends started laughing. No one could ever see past her being a faunus except, seemingly, one particular blonde.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave." A familiar voice and presence came from Blake's side, perking her up immediately.

"Or what, Yang? You'll make me?"

"Damn right, I will." The blonde first addressed the group of bullies before raising her voice for it to be heard through the entire bakery. "And anyone else who has a problem with faunus can leave as well."

While Yang was tall for a girl, the man Blake had accidentally bumped into dwarfed the blonde by almost a foot. Though, the more Blake studied the situation, she realized that he seemed almost scared of the baker.

"Fine. It's not like I want to spend time in a trash heap like this anyways." The man snorted derisively before making his way to the door, his 3 compatriots following close behind.

"Sorry about that. Are you alright, miss?" Yang gently grabbed her by the hand and towed her to the other side of the bar.

"Blake." The ravenette looked up into Yang's eyes. " My name is Blake. And thanks to you, I'm fine. The best I've been in forever."

"Good!" Yang chirped at her before shoving a broom and dustpan into her hands. "Take this and sweep under the tables as people finish."

Bewildered, but nonetheless eager to help the woman that had helped her so much she went about her task.

Soon sweeping turned into bussing, bussing turned to delivering food. And, as the day progressed, Yang even had her taking orders. More to her surprise were the customers. While most glanced or openly stared at her ears, everyone was polite. No one gave her insults, or tried to bully her.

While the work wasn't overly strenuous, the amount of time she spent on the streets in the cold had sapped her strength. So, when Yang finally flipped the sign to 'closed' in the mid afternoon, she was relieved that the day was almost done.

"Please sweep one last time while I go take a quick shower." The blonde flashed Blake another smile.

"For you, of course." As Yang disappeared, the faunus made one more clean sweep around the floor of the bakery, sweeping up all the dirt and discarded crumbs from the customers.

Satisfied with her work, she sat down at one of the bistros to wait for the baker's return. Closing her eyes, she let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry! I didn't overwork you did I?" Her eyes immediately flashed open as she saw Yang rush over to her.

"I'm fine, just a little tired." Blake leaned back. "Speaking of which, how do you do this everyday?"

"Normally I don't. I still take days off and all that jazz. I just gave all my employees the holidays off." The blonde leaned over and smiled at her. "Go ahead and head upstairs and take a shower. Then you can pick out a few movies while I get dinner ready?"

"W-what? You want me to stay longer?"

"Of course! I wouldn't send you away at night. Plus, you were a great help today!'

Before she could protest, Yang pulled her out of her chair and gave her a soft shove towards the stairs.

"I won't be too long. Grab some of the extra blankets from the closet and we'll have a movie night."

Making it up the stairs she immediately jumped into the shower, savoring again the feeling of the warm water as it washed over her. Deciding that she was probably spending too much time, she dried herself off and changed back into the sweats she had discarded earlier that day.

Pulling some large fluffy blankets out from the closet in Yang's room, she piled them on the couch. She had no idea where the movies might be. She had never really had a TV or movies, even when she was younger. Spying a large binder on one of the shelves under the TV she pulled it out and was rewarded with a large collection of brightly colored discs.

Slowly flipping through the pages, Blake didn't recognize any of the titles. Hopelessly lost, she stared at the discs. Maybe she could pick randomly?

"Dinner is served. I hope you picked a good movie." Yang walked through door and set two bowls down on the coffee table.

"I don't know what's good." Blake whispered out. "I've never even heard of most of these."

"Oh…" The faunus heard the baker's voice falter for the first time before recovering. "You get comfy on the couch and I'll take it from here."

Removing herself to the couch she sat on the far left side, giving the blonde free range to sit down without being in her personal space. Despite her desire to be close to the other woman, she still had no idea what Yang truly thought of her. So when Yang popped a movie into the DVD player and then wedged herself between Blake and the armrest, displacing the faunus by a few dozen centimeters, she was taken by surprise.

"You were in my spot." Yang flashed a quick wink and pressed play.

"I didn't mean to. I can move over if you'd like."

"Nope." Yang popped the 'p'.

Relishing the proximity between the two of them, Blake tried to pay attention to the movie, some animated film about two sisters and an icy heart, but the blonde's presence kept drawing her attention like a lodestone.

Seeking the comfort of her companion, Blake pulled up her legs onto the couch and slowly rested her head on the blonde's shoulder. Feeling no resistance, she snaked her arms around Yang's arms, continuing to watch the movie in silence. Though it wasn't long until drowsiness started to overtake her.

As she started to slip into sleep she felt Yang's arms encircle her, pulling her head down onto the baker's lap. The last thing she remembered was the warmth from her new friend surrounding her, giving her the most peace she had ever felt.

* * *

 **Poor Blake. At least she found someone to take care of her, even though Yang seems oddly commanding.  
A few days later than the Holidays this takes place during, but hopefully you'll forgive me.  
** **There will be at least one more part to this, so please follow, fav, or review and let me know what you thought!  
-Added a few small edits made by Tumbleweed**


	2. A Heart for a Stray

Blake sleepily opened her eyes, awakening from a pleasant dream starring an exceptionally beautiful blonde, and looked over to the clock that particular blonde had left on the coffee table for her. It was already past 5, way later than Yang typically let her sleep. Ever since that first day with the mysteriously charitable baker, Yang had awakened her around 4:30 everyday.

That first morning had been disconcerting. The world was soft and warm, and her ears weren't constrained by multiple layers of hats and scarves. Someone was softly rubbing her arm. Eyes flashing open, she was mesmerized by the exquisite lavender orbs only a few decimeters away from her.

' _Time to wake up, Blakey.'_ The blonde smiled down at her.

' _Blakey?'_ A small warmth glowed in her chest at hearing the nickname.

' _Yup.'_ Yang replied with her signature popped 'p'. ' _Time to help me get everything baked for today. I left you some clothes in the bathroom, breakfast is in 5 minutes.'_

The last few days had followed the same pattern. Yang would wake her up and Blake would assist her in her morning baking. Even though she had never done anything like it before, she was rather pleased with how fast she was picking things up. Starting with small things, like measuring flour, Yang slowly moved her to mixing, or even working the dough. Most of the finer aspects were still handled by the baker, but with the way Yang would compliment and smile at her whenever she did something right, Blake was intent on learning everything the blonde had to teach.

After baking, the normal day would begin, which Blake would also help with. Like the first day, she did everything from sweeping and bussing, to ringing up customers and delivering orders. Despite the bitter cold outside, the shop was always busy from open to close. Always in constant motion, Blake would occasionally bump into the blonde, contact that always sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

Still recovering from her time on the streets, the fast-paced work exhausted her, so when the end of business hours came, so did her sigh of relief. She truly did enjoy working at the bakery, especially since everyone was so polite to her, despite her constantly exposed cat ears.

Yang would always shower first while Blake did one last sweep of the bakery. Then she dismissed Blake to go shower and get the couch and TV ready for another movie night, while the blonde would make them both dinner. Despite Yang's obvious skill at baked goods, Blake found it amazing how bad she was at cooking anything else. Dinner was usually things like mac and cheese, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The one time the baker had tried to be fancy, Blake was treated to an earsplitting cacophony of smoke detectors.

Blake would cuddle up next to the blonde, and always seemed to fall asleep before her. The next morning she would wake up tucked in on the couch with Yang standing over her.

Despite all of the attention the blonde lavished on her, Yang never did anything overtly flirty. Yang didn't ever talk about dating and Blake never asked, mostly out of fear of finding out an answer she didn't like. So she continued to make herself indispensable over the last few days helping Yang run the little bakery, a duty that she was now late to.

Rolling off the couch, she grabbed one of the sets of clothing Yang had purchased for her. Despite her constant protests, Yang had bought her several outfits for baking and normal daywear.

Arriving in the bathroom, she was puzzled by the lack of dampness. Yang had not showered this morning, which means she hadn't worked out. Did she wake up late as well?

Ever since Blake had been staying with the baker, Yang would wake even earlier than her to go to the gym down the block to workout before she started the rest of the day. Coming back, Yang would start up the ovens before going to take a shower. That is, as she found out later, how Blake had managed to get in the first morning. Yang had forgotten to lock the door upon returning, and Blake had slipped into the kitchen as the blonde went to shower.

Smiling to herself as she realized how much happiness that mistake had given her, she began to get dressed. Donning simple, loose pants and a black tank top, she put her hair up in a ponytail and left her feet bare, a habit she had picked up from Yang. She headed back out into the living room, down the stairs, and through the bakery on the first floor, arriving inside the kitchen.

"Mornin'." Blake perked up a little as she spotted the very awake baker sitting at the island in the kitchen. The sight of Yang, and heavenly smell of her cooking, started to boost the faunus' energy levels.

"Good morning to you too!" The blonde got off her stool and pounced on the sleepy faunus, giving her an exuberant hug. "I made bacon and hashbrowns. No eggs though."

"No eggs?"

"I may have dropped them."

She snickered. "All of them?"

"Hey look, bacon and hashbrowns."

Sighing to herself, the faunus made her way around the island and peeked into the garbage can. At the bottom lay the shattered remains of several dozen eggs.

"Is this why you aren't baking this morning?"

"Nope!" Came an enthusiastic reply from the blonde. "Today's New Year's Eve. The shop's closed all day."

"That explains why I got to sleep in this morning."

"I was going to wake you up, but you looked so adorable. Did you know you smile when you sleep?"

Blake immediately blushed. She didn't always smile while sleeping. She just happened to be having a very nice dream about a particular blonde.

"Thanks?"

"No problem." Yang flashed her a wink that made her heart flutter.

Quickly downing the baker's delicious cooking, Blake began to work on the pans and dishes in the sink.

"Don't worry about them." Yang beckoned to her.

Hesitantly leaving the dirty dishes where they were, Blake eagerly followed the taller woman, unsure of what laid in store.

Leaving out the kitchen and up the stairs, Yang flopped down on one side of the couch, leaving the faunus to stand by herself.

"Come sit, Blakey! Since we are going out tonight, we're going to have a movie morning."

Studying the couch, she was unsure of where to sit. From the first night and onwards, she was always the first to sit down, and wherever she was sitting just happened to be 'Yang's spot'. Because of the blonde's antics, they always seemed to be pressed against each other on the couch no matter how much room was on either side of them.

Now, Yang was already sitting on one side of the couch with a very intent, inquisitive look on her face. It was almost predatory, as though Blake's next move was incredibly important.

Seizing a small thread of boldness, Blake sat herself up against the blonde, pressing her against the side of the couch. She was instantly rewarded with one of the Yang's arms linking through hers.

"Hope you're comfortable." Yang pressed the play button, causing the movie to start with a large fanfare. "We're going to watch the whole original Star Wars trilogy. And with none of that 'special edition' junk. Prepare to have your world rocked."

"More comfortable than I've ever been." She wrapped her arms around Yang's and laid her head on the blonde's shoulder. Humming contentedly to herself she hoped these movies were as great as Yang said they were.

"You fell asleep!" Yang crossed her arms and turned away from her, pretending to look offended.

Blake was still a little drowsy, recently have being poked awake. Due to her new habit of constantly waking up early, instead of her previous habit of sleeping during the day, she was so exhausted she fell asleep on Yang soon after the second movie had started. Now they were dressed and ready to go 'out'. To where, she didn't know, the Baker refused to tell her the plan for the day.

"I'm sorry." Blake played into her game. "You're just so…" She managed to stop herself before she accidentally gave away her secret feeling for the other woman.

"I'm just so what?" Yang leaned forward with a fake menacing glare, so their noses were almost touching.

A flurry of butterflies erupted in her stomach at Yang's proximity. Backing up, Blake turned away hiding the blush on her face.

"I can't help myself. You're just so… warm."

"You can borrow my warmth any time you want." Yang teased at her. With Blake still too flustered to respond, several long seconds passed by.

"Are you ready to go?" Blake felt Yang's soft touch on her shoulder, turning her to face back towards the blonde.

"Not quite. I don't think these clothes will be warm enough." She looked down at what she was wearing. From her own experiences on the street, the one sweatshirt she wore was too thin.

"Here, wear this." Yang held out a large puffy coat with the other hand. It was so much nicer and newer than the wool and canvas she was used too.

Putting the coat on, she noticed that it fit her perfectly. As it was too small to fit Yang she realized the baker had to have bought it for her.

"Yang… you didn't have too."

"I know, but I wanted you to come with me today." Yang grabbed her by the hand and lead her to the door. "It'll be fun."

"No." She pulled back against Yang's grasp as an icy blast washed over her. She hadn't been outside again since she had first arrived at the bakery. She thought she would be ok, but now, faced with the thought of being back in the cold, her resolve crumbled.

"I don't want to be outside, I don't want to be cold."

"Blakey." Yang looked at her with concern. "If you want to stay in, I understand and I'll stay with you. But, I promise, I won't let you be cold again. I want you to come with me."

Glancing between the ice and snow outside the door and the radiant blonde standing next to her, she quickly made up her mind. Burrowing under Yang's arm and against her side Blake peered up at the taller woman.

"I'll come with you."

"Good!" Yang replied with a chirp.

Blake felt the blonde grab her hand and pull her out the door, locking it behind the two of them, and they proceeded down the sidewalk. Despite the clear sky and the early afternoon sunlight, the chilly wind rushed down the street, buffeting the two women.

Instinctively pulling close to the blonde, Blake noticed things weren't as they used to be. They walked through ice and snow, yet Blake did not feel cold.

Elated at this new experience she let out a small chuckle, to which Yang's response was to pull her closer.

Slowly making their way down the street, the blonde eventually pushed open the door of building, leading Blake into a small restaurant. As they seated themselves, a waitress came to take their order. Unsure of what to get, Yang quickly ordered for the both of them.

"What did you get me?" She shot Yang a confused look.

"You'll see." The blonde winked back. "But I'm sure you'll find it purr-fect."

Blake did a double take.

"Did you just say that?"

"Yup!" Yang replied cheerfully popping the 'p'.

Yang's response astounded her. She had been teased many times before. Most of the time they were vicious taunts, though many had more subtle jokes about her feline nature. Yang had teased her so easily without any anger or malice. It was almost like the blonde was showing her affection in a way.

"Your tuna melts." The waitress returned, placing two plates before both of them.

Blake's mouth immediately began to water. Tuna had always been her favorite, at least the few times she could beg for enough money to buy it.

She immediately snatched it up and began tearing through the melt while Yang picked up hers, nibbling on it at a much more measured pace, a look of amusement on her face.

Small patches of conversation filled the few moments Blake wasn't eating. She finished first, then quickly ordered second, in record time. Finally, the third that Yang ordered for her was enough. Unable to finish it, Yang picked up the last bit and popped it into her mouth.

Finishing their meal, Yang paid and once more took Blake by the hand, leading her out of the restaurant and down the street, continuing away from the bakery. Instead, they seemed to be heading into a nicer part of the city. A part Blake had never been to. The homeless were commonly arrested, and she doubted any Faunus owned a house in this area.

"Yang, where are we going?" She inquired, slowing her pace in apprehension.

"To a friend's." Yang shot her a concerned glance. "Are you alright?"

"I've never been to this part of the city before, I've only heard that I shouldn't."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine!" The blonde switched to a grin. "My friends are going to love you!"

Continuing to trust in the baker, Blake continued in step. As they walked deeper into the neighborhood, they came up to a rather nice house with a white and light blue decor. As Yang pulled her up to the door, she fished her keys out of her pocket and unlocked it.

Stepping inside, they began to strip their coats, shoes, and gloves, stowing them in a nearby closet. As the door closed the sound of a heavy set of footfalls rushed towards them. Looking up, a flash of motion caught Blake's eye as a blur streaked into the arms of her companion.

"Yaaaaaaaannnnnggggggg!"

"Rubbles!"

Taking a step back, she saw Yang tightly hugging a short girl with shoulder-length black hair with red tips. Judging by the new girl's shortness, and the giant rose design on her sweatshirt, she must have been the source of the leggings Blake had worn that first day.

The enthusiasm between Yang and the short girl, their large grins, and the way 'Rubbles' clung to Yang saddened her. The amount of affection between the duo was immediately noticeable. Blake's heart dropped. Of course someone as energetic and kind as Yang would already have a girlfriend.

"Blakey!" Yang turned to her, causing her to force a smile out. "I want you to meet someone, you may know them by their affinity for roses."

The short girl detached herself from Yang and beamed a familiar, radiant smile towards her. Her silver eyes gleamed brightly as she stuck out a hand.

"Hello, Blake. I'm Ruby!"

"Hello, Ruby." She continued to force out her smile as she took the black-and-red haired girl's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet Yang's girlfriend."

Ruby stared at her for a brief second before bursting out in a snorting laughter, Yang chuckling with her own musical tones soon after.

"Yang's not my girlfriend." Ruby was laughing so hard she was doubled over while Yang had slid down the wall she was leaning on and was now sitting on the floor, also laughing. "She's my sister!"

"Your sister?" Blake's mood perked up instantly, maybe Yang was single.

"Yup!" Yang replied, still sitting against the wall. "Ruby-doo here is my baby sister."

"Yaaaang." Ruby complained rather pathetically.

"What's going on out here?" A harsh tone filled the air as the padding of feet approached them.

Looking over to the newcomer, Blake's blood froze. Before her stood a Schnee with an annoyed look on her face. She didn't know much about the Schnees, except for the family's atrocious reputation for discrimination and violence towards faunus. She had never seen this particular girl before, but she had the trademark ice-blue eyes and pure white hair.

"Look, Weissy" Ruby dashed over to the white-haired girl, embracing her with the same enthusiasm she showed Yang, as Blake unconsciously took a step back. "Meet Blake! She's Yang's friend!"

As Weiss freed herself from Ruby's grasp, she closed the distance, causing the faunus to take another step back. Despite being taller than Weiss, she felt wholly intimidated as ice-blue eyes fixed onto hers.

"Hello, Blake." She held out a thin hand in a dainty manner that drastically clashed with Yang and Ruby's energy. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I…" Blake stuttered as her voice caught in her throat. Then she realized. Every single person she had met stared at her ears before looking at her eyes. Weiss had not even glanced upwards. It was as though her cat ears didn't exist even though they were on full display.

Maybe the Schnees had an undeserved reputation.

"It's nice to meet you too, Weiss-y?"

"It's just Weiss." The white-haired girl blushed slightly and turned away. "Only Ruby can call me that."

"What about me, Weeiiiisssyyyy?" Yang finally managed to regain her composure and joined the conversation.

As the blonde teased the short girl, Yang leaned over, bringing her face within a few centimeters of Weiss'. Blake felt a twinge of jealousy pierce her heart. How she longed for Yang to be that close to her.

Weiss' eyes flicked to hers and back to Yang's with an almost imperceptible motion and Blake could have sworn she saw a small smile grace the Schnee's lips.

"Get away from me, you brute." Weiss gave Yang a small shove before holding out a hand to Ruby, who eagerly took it up. "Come on, Dolt. Scarlet is making strawberry daiquiris."

As the duo retreated, Yang snarked at them. "If she gets so drunk she pukes, you're taking care of her, Frosty!"

"That was interesting." Blake finally managed to relax and turned to Yang who was grinning at her.

"You mean Weiss?" Yang rubbed the back of her neck with one hand. "She may seem cold, but she has a big soft spot if you can find it. Thank Oum she met Ruby though. She used to be as stuck up as the rest of her family."

"So they're…?"

"Dating? Yup. Don't tell Weiss I said it, but it was the best thing that could ever happen to either of them. Ruby taught Weiss how to live, and Weiss helps Ruby stay focused." Yang broke out in a soft chuckle. "I must sound like some sort of proud mother instead of a sister."

"Not at all." Blake smiled back. " I lo-like how caring you are."

Yang gave her a wink. "Come on, let's join the party. You'll love everyone here."

"As long as it's with you." Blake mumbled under her breath, too quiet for the energetic blonde to hear as she followed Yang into the living room.

As she stepped into the spacious room, she notice how different it was from Yang's setup at the bakery. To the left was the kitchen, cabinets, drawers, stove, oven, and washer lining three walls with a small island. Straight ahead was a nook with a table capable of seating at least 10 people. Finally, on the right, was a slightly lowered room three stairs down from the kitchen and dining table. The living room area had a small bar tucked on the left, a large TV straight ahead, and several couches and recliners. While there were a few people in the kitchen or sitting at the table, most of the people were either crowded around the bar or seated around the TV.

Immediately upon entering into the kitchen, a man with blue hair handed both her and Yang drinks before returning back to the bar where a red haired man was mixing drinks.

"Thanks, Neptune!" Yang cheered after him and turned to Blake. "Oh, you're probably not used to alcohol. You should take it slow, Blakey.

Tentatively taking a sip of the pink drink in her hands, Blake was pleasantly surprised at the taste. It was fruity and tasted of strawberries. She guessed it was one of the daiquiris Weiss had mentioned before.

"It's delicious!" Blake smiled up at the taller woman. "Does all alcohol taste like this?"

Yang let out a small chuckle. "Not quite. I'm glad you are enjoying it though. C'mon, let's introduce you to everyone."

Blake sipped her drink as Yang pulled her around, introducing her to her various friends. She was amazed at their reactions. Unlike the patrons at the bakery, everyone acted much like Weiss did. They didn't even appear to glance at her cat ears at all, though a few made a comment on how pretty they were.

It wasn't until she was halfway through introductions that she realized the kind of company she was in.

"Neon!" Yang pulled her over to a tiny girl with orange hair pulled into twin-tails and lurid clothing. "I want you to meet Blake!"

As Blake inspected the girl in front of her she noticed the tail flicking around behind Neon.

"You're a faunus?" Blake blurted out in surprise.

"Of course I am!" Neon swirled from side to side, the small cat faunus seemingly unable to stand still. "And so are you! Though I'd trade my tail for ears in an instant if I knew that's what Yang liked more." Neon flashed the blonde a wink.

While Blake bristled at the other faunus' implication, both Yang and Neon burst out laughing before hugging.

"It's good to see you again, Neon." Yang smiled and pulled away. "Though where's Flynt? I haven't seen him at all."

"He's on a beer run with Sage and Sun. They should be back soon!" Neon turned and flashed a wink towards Blake as well. "Your friend is so beautiful, better keep her away from my Flynt!"

Taken aback by the other faunus' comment, her heart was put at ease. Continuing to sip at her drink, she zoned out as Neon and Yang chatted. Eventually Ruby came and pulled her over to introduce her to more people.

While she was making the rounds with her new enthusiastic guide, three more men joined the party carrying cases of bottles. Blake was shocked to see that one of the three was also a faunus, a lively monkey tail swinging behind the blond.

Could she have actually found a place that accepts faunus as readily as they did humans? Was finding Yang the answer to everything she had been looking for? The warmth, the friends, the… love.

Throughout the night, most of the time she was with the wonderful warmth she knew as Yang. While sometimes they were separated, Blake never felt alone. All of the other people here, Yang's family and friends, readily accepted her as their own. She talked, joked, and even played a game that involved trying to throw a small white ball into the other teams red cups, drinking the bitter contents of her own cups if her opponents made the ball into hers. While she greatly prefered the daiquiris she had earlier, she was having too much fun to care.

As the hours crept onwards, she looked up to see Weiss and Ruby beckoning her into the kitchen.

"Can I touch your ears?" Ruby slurred out, as Blake approached the duo, the night's drink apparently starting to affect her judgement.

"Dolt!" Weiss gave the younger girl a healthy smack on the back of the head. "That's not what we wanted to talk to her about. I'm sure she wants Yang to touch her ears first anyways."

Blake immediately blushed at the idea of the blonde's warm touch slowly caressing the soft fur that covered her ears.

"What?" Ruby's face contorted in confusion before brightening up. "Oh. OH! Right! That would be awesome! You're so cool Blake! You and Ya- mmph!"

Weiss slapped her hand over the younger girl's mouth. "I'm sorry, she gets overly excited. But, if it means anything, you have my approval as well."

"Your what?"

"My approval. To date Yang." The white-haired girl replied. "I've known Yang for three years now, and ever since I started dating that overly-energetic bundle of energy she calls a sister, Yang has been single. No boyfriends or girlfriends, no dates or meetups.

"Between her work, and caring for Ruby, a task she still seems to not wholly trust me with." Weiss looked indignant for a second. "No one has been able to catch her eye. That makes you an extraordinary woman, Blake. Don't let that opportunity go to waste."

"Good luck, Blake!" Ruby cheered as Weiss began to tug her away. "I've never seen Yang as happy as when she is looking at you."

"Come on, Dolt." Weiss hissed at the short girl. "It's almost midnight."

Looking past the red and white duo, Blake noticed everyone starting to congregate around the TV with drinks in their hands. Everyone had their partner. Weiss and Ruby, Ren and Nora, Pyrrha and Jaune, Velvet and Yatsuhashi, Coco and Fox, Neptune and Scarlet, Neon and Flynt, Sun and Octavia, Sage and Dew. All except for Yang.

Yang. The woman who let her into her life. The woman who let her feel safe for the first time in years. The woman who gave her a purpose. The woman who exuded so much warmth and happiness. Blake was almost overcome every time she was in her presence. The woman who was now beckoning for her.

Hurrying over to the blonde, Blake's stomach erupted into a flurry of butterflies. Allowing herself to be pulled in close by the taller woman, she peered up in Yang's lilac eyes.

"Hey, Blakey." Yang smiled down at her, multiplying the butterflies she felt to an almost intolerable level. "It's almost midnight. Have you made your resolution yet?"

"I've never made a resolution before."

"It's easy! Think of something you would like to change about your life, and then make a plan to follow through."

"I guess…" Blake hesitated. She had never really been in the position to desire something besides food and warmth. She felt so guilty that Yang continuously showed her kindness, generosity she did not deserve. She needed to find a way to repay the blonde, and be less of a burden to her.

"I want you to stay at the bakery with me." Yang blurted out suddenly, cutting her out of her thoughts.

"What?" Blake stared directly into the taller girl's eyes. "Why are you being so nice to me? I don't understand."

"Because, from the moment I saw you, I was in love. I saw past all of the dirt and tattered clothing, the anger and hopelessness. You needed a home and a heart, and I had both. I knew you would feel guilty and leave without a reason to stay, so I just kept giving you things to do. You never had to feel like your food or showers were free, because you were helping me at the bakery."

Yang pulled her into a tight hug.

"I don't think I could bear it if you left now. You weren't the only person who needed to find a heart."

"Yang, I…"

'10… 9… 8… 7…' The countdown had begun, they were almost to a new year. A year of hope and warmth for her, not the cold and misery she had known.

"I'm staying with you."

'3… 2… 1...

Allowing Yang to pull her close again she felt the blonde's lips press against her own. The fire that erupted in her from the contact made a promise to her. As long as she was with Yang, she would never be cold again.

"Happy New Year, Blakey. I love you."

* * *

 **Part two of this wonderful BumblebY story!  
A lot later than the Holiday it takes place in, but better late than never.  
Hope you enjoyed this! If you guys like it enough, there is one more part that I was thinking about adding.  
As always, fav, follow, review. Let me know how it was.**


	3. An Angel for a Stray

" _You have to come with us." A man in a suit pulled on Blake's hand._

 _The young faunus had no idea what was happening. Last thing she remembered she was being tucked into bed by her parents. Now she being hustled into a car, with only a small backpack of clothing. Squinting as the harsh red-and-blue lights of several police cars illuminated the night, she cried out again._

" _Momma! Poppa!"_

" _Let's go little one." The man gently pushed her into the car and closed the door behind her._

 _As the vehicle pulled away the last thing she saw was the bright flickering lights of the squad cars surrounding her house._

* * *

 _She was watching out the window as a multiple vehicles pulled up to the front of the foster home she was staying at. A ward of the Kingdom of Vale since she was taken from her parents two years prior, she had stayed in several other homes like this one._

 _Moving every few months, she had no semblance of consistency. Every time a new car pulled up she hoped it would be someone to take her away to a proper home, and every time she was disappointed. Her ears perked up as several people, including a tall red haired man in a suit, knocked on the front door and were let in._

 _While the people downstairs seemingly weren't putting any effort into talking quietly, Blake couldn't hear them over the rambunctious activities of the other foster children in the same house. It wasn't until heavy footstep came up the creaky stairs did the rest of kids calm down._

" _Blake." Her so called foster mother addressed her sternly, but more kindly than she ever had before. "This is Adam Taurus. He's here to take you to a permanent home. You'll be living with other faunus your age."_

 _As the lady spoke, the red-haired man she had seen earlier stepped forward before dropping to one knee so their eyes were at the same height._

" _Hello, little Blake." He slowly extended a hand out towards her._

 _Blake stared at it suspiciously before finally reaching out and giving him a small handshake. After the brief contact she quickly withdrew her hand and shoved it back into the pocket of her hoodie where her other hand was currently resting._

" _I was heartbroken when I heard about your parents. They were hardworking citizens. To be illegally deported like that was disgusting."_

 _Blake hung her head and fought back the tears that threatened to come forth. Her parents were the leaders of a peaceful organization that advocated for Faunus rights. Unfortunately, the more extreme members of their group started using increasingly violent tactics. Those crimes were pinned on her parents and their immigrant visas were revoked, forcing them to return to Menagerie. Blake herself, was born in Vale and therefore held as a ward of the kingdom._

" _Ever since that day I took leadership of the White Fang and I have been fighting for your return to us. Looks like we finally have our victory." He smiled at her. "Let's take you home."_

* * *

 _Blake crept through Adam's cluttered office as quietly as she could. The penalty for being caught in here would be a rough beating. But, then again, if she couldn't finish her homework and got another poor grade, she would get a beating anyways. It was better to only risk getting caught, then endure the certainty of failing._

 _In the four years she had been living at the White Fang 'home', she had become accustomed to the everyday struggle of achieving anything. The school she attended was poorly funded and the students, as well some of the teachers, openly mocked her for her cat ears. When she got back to decrepit apartment building she called home at the end of the day, it was no better._

 _The building she lived at was overcrowded and under maintained. Most of the doors to the various apartments had been removed, creating a more communal living space instead of separate abodes. Faunus of all ages passed through, some staying for years, others for only days. The building leaked when it rained, let in the wind in the winter, and trapped the heat in the summer._

 _Between the chores, and mandatory meetings for the White Fang she had to sit through on a regular basis, she barely had any time to get her school work done. One of the many things she was punished harshly for._

 _Which was why she was in the worst place in the building she could be caught. But she needed a new pencil and some pieces of paper for her assignment. Even the bare minimum of what she needed, she still needed to steal._

 _Not willing to risk taking anything from the desk, lest Adam noticed, she slowly opened the various drawers of the desk and the surrounding cabinets. Not finding what she was looking for, something else did catch her eye. A folder labeled 'Ghira'._

 _Eagerly pulling the folder out, Blake opened it in hope that maybe there would be some information on where to find her parents. As she read through the various documents her hope turned to horror. Each different page outlined the plans to oust her parents from control of the White Fang. How to pin various crimes committed by White Fang extremists on them in hopes to get them arrested and deported. The most efficient way to transfer the leadership and power to Adam._

 _So engrossed with her reading Blake didn't notice the other presence enter the office until a heavy hand came down on her shoulder. Blake yelped and spun around, coming face to face with Adam's second-in-command._

" _Ilia… I…" Blake squeaked out in panic, her brain struggling to make a good excuse._

" _You're coming with me." The older woman grabbed her painfully by the arm and dragged her out of the office and down several flights of stairs to the den on the first floor._

" _Adam." She stated in a clear voice, silencing the Faunus working in the room. "I found her snooping through your office. She had this."_

 _Handing him the folder she had taken from Blake, Adam froze for a brief moment before scowling at the two women._

" _What did I tell you about being in my office?" Adam spoke quietly, instilling fear in Blake. When the bull faunus yelled he was simply annoyed, but, when he spoke so softly, something bad was about to happen._

" _You did this to me!" She screamed at him, pointing at the folder. "You blamed them! You had them arrested! You're the reason my parents are gone!"_

" _Silence!" Blake reeled backwards, breaking out of Ilia's grip and falling to the floor as Adam's open hand slapped across her face._

 _Looking up from the floor, she saw the front door open. Normally locked, anyone who wanted in or out had to get permission from one of the few people with a key. Now it was wide open._

 _Taking one last fearful look at Adam, she clambered to her feet as quickly as she could and bolted towards the door._

 _As she made it out into the dark street she could hear voices yelling out behind her. Not even bothering looking back, she ran towards the busier downtown area of the city where the streets were more complex. Rounding a block and dodging down one alleyway, then another, she scurried under a pile of debris._

 _While she could barely hear the voices from the entrance of the alleyway, she could see Adam and Ilia speaking to another person Then the two disappeared._

 _Blake remained hidden for several terse hours before she finally climbed out of her hiding spot. She was free from Adam and the White Fang, but now she had nowhere to go._

* * *

" _You can't sleep here." Blake felt something hard jab into her side. "Get up."_

" _Huh?" She opened her eyes, the early summer sun just starting to rise. As she felt another sharp jab in her side she looked up to see a couple police officers standing over her. Too groggy to understand the situation she stared up for a few seconds. "What?"_

" _Get up." One of the policemen reached down and roughly pulled her onto her feet before locking handcuffs around her wrists. "We don't need you degenerates cluttering up our streets."_

 _As the man shoved her into the back of the patrol car, Blake managed to catch her reflection. Probably due to the warmth of the summer nights, she had accidentally lost her beanie she used to hide her ears._

" _What are you doing?" Blake hear the police officer yell out to his partner. "Leave that junk here."_

 _Peering out the window, she saw the other policeman hastily shoving her bedding into her backpack._

" _It might be evidence, sir!" He replied tentatively._

" _Whatever, just hurry up."_

 _The second man dropped her backpack in the truck and got in the passenger seat of the patrol car. After a short ride, the first man pulled her out and lead her through the police station, shoving her harshly into a cell, slamming it shut behind her._

 _Desperately turning towards the officer, Blake gripped the bars._

" _How long am I here for?"_

" _What does it matter?" He sneered back at her. "You filthy faunus don't contribute to society. You can rot in here for all I care."_

 _Turning away from the door, the man left to a different part of station, leaving Blake alone in the dimly lit cell._

 _Terrified, she curled up on the lumpy cot and faced towards the wall. Despite her efforts, tears sprang unbidden to her eyes. While she had never been arrested before, Blake had heard many stories from other faunus about the rough treatment they had received._

 _So caught up in her worry, she didn't really hear when the loud laughter and conversation from the other room died down and was replaced by a quiet whisper. It wasn't until the footfalls of an approaching person echoed into the cell did she finally pay attention to her surroundings again._

 _Looking up, she saw the second officer that had picked her up off the street; he had her backpack in one hand and a ring of keys in the other. Quickly opening the door, he held out her pack._

" _It's time to go."_

" _Won't you get in trouble?" She sniffled, wiping the tears from her face._

" _Yes, but I'm told this is the right thing to do."_

 _Leading her back to the front door of the police station, he handed her a small slip of paper with an address written on it._

" _A friend told me this is a shelter that readily accepts homeless faunus." Turning away, he walked back into the station, leaving Blake alone in the bright summer afternoon._

* * *

 _Blake almost started crying as she exited the shelter into the pitch blackness outside. It had almost been like a home to her. Sure, the shelter was run down, overcrowded, and leaky, but it blocked the wind and rain. The other tenants were grouchy and withdrawn, but they didn't scream at her._

 _She had been staying there for months, careful to arrive early enough to get a room before they were all full. It cut into her time begging for money and food, but it was a relatively safe place to stay. Today, she had been stuck on the wrong side of town, and arrived too late. The late fall sun had already set, dropping the temperature outside. She would be hard pressed to stay warm tonight._

 _Distraught as she was, she almost didn't hear the footsteps walking towards her. Looking up she peered into the darkness. A figure in a coat and hood walked confidently towards her and the entrance to the shelter carrying a large sack in their arms._

 _With no working lights in the immediate area, the other person didn't even notice her until the newcomer almost ran her over._

" _Oh, I'm sorry!" The person stopped. With the coat, hood, and scarf around her mouth, the only way Blake could tell the other person was female was her voice._

 _As Blake didn't respond, the other stood their patiently. Trying to stay silent, she failed to stifle a sniffle._

" _They're out of room, aren't they?" The other woman asked quietly, once again patiently waiting for a response._

 _Despite that the other woman wouldn't see it, Blake didn't trust her voice right now and simply nodded._

" _I'll take that as a yes." Digging into her sack, she brought out a large wrapped loaf of bread, handing it to the despondent faunus. "Here, this is the least I can do."_

 _Receiving the the loaf, Blake looked up, barely able to make out the other woman's face._

" _Thanks." She managed to croak out._

" _I drop off bread once a week, hopefully I'll see you again next time." The woman continued towards the shelter. "Stay warm out there."_

 _The next day Blake was hurrying back to the shelter. After arriving late the last night, she had no desire to sleep on the street again. As she rounded the corner, her heart plummeted. Several large red fire trucks were parked next to the crumbled and charred remains of the shelter._

* * *

 _Standing near a street corner, she pulled her layers of clothing around her a little tighter. This winter was, if the discarded newspaper she read was correct, the coldest Vale had ever seen in decades. Forced to stay up and active at night so she wouldn't freeze in her sleep, she had limited time in the day to sleep and beg for money and food._

 _With her bag stashed behind her she held a small bowl out, politely greeting anyone who passed her in hopes of earning anything. It was hard, ever since the shelter burnt down, she had been exclusively on the streets. Despite that, she was fairly happy, having earned a decent about of money recently, she hoped she would be able to buy a new sleeping bag soon._

 _It was starting to get late enough she would need to find a place secluded from the wind to bunker down for the night. With the bigger stores closing, combined with the bitter cold, there wouldn't be very people out, rendering her efforts moot._

 _About ready to leave for the night, she saw three more people, two men and a woman who looked about her age, walking down the sidewalk. Pushing cold out of her mind for a little longer, she put on the best smile she could._

" _Good evening." Ravaged by the dry, chilly air, Blake's voice came out quiet and hoarse. "Could you spare anything, please?"_

 _Her hope quickly turned to panic as the closest of the three smacked the bowl out of her hands, scattering the change all over the ground. Yelping, she jumped backwards as the newcomers continued to advance on her aggressively._

" _Oops." The man who knocked the change out of her hand sneered at her. "My bad. Let me help you."_

 _Blake watched him pick up some of the money from the snow and hold it up, looking at it intently. As he held it out to her, she tentatively reached out to take it back. Before Blake could make contact, the man jammed the coins into his pocket._

" _Actually, I think I'll keep these."_

" _Please." Blake begged the man. "I need that."_

" _Please, I need that!" The woman mocked her, forcing her voice to a fake shrill tone. Turning to the first man she grinned mischievously. "Wanna bet she's one of those faunus?"_

" _Let's find out." The man chuckled and took a step towards Blake, nodding at something behind the faunus._

 _Trying to keep her distance, Blake tried to take a step back, but the second man grabbed her from behind. Unable to escape, the first man reach for the layer of scarves and hats that covered her head._

 _She squealed in pain as her head coverings were roughly removed and cast into the snow and ice._

" _You're right!" The man scowled. "She is one of the dirty monsters."_

" _She's disgusting! Make her go away!" The woman glared at her with disgust._

" _You heard the lady." The second man used his grip on her to shove her to the side. "Get out of here, animal."_

 _While her scarves were on the other side of the two men and her, her backpack with her possessions was just off to the side. If she was quick enough, she could get it. Trying to dart past the second man to grab her backpack, she received another rough shove that sent her reeling into the snow.._

" _Run, filth."_

 _Taking one more terrified look at the three of them, Blake took off down the street. She could only run for a few minutes before her limited endurance caught up with her. Wheezing, Blake leaned against the wall to try and catch her breath. Confident that her aggressors weren't chasing her anymore, she took stock of situation._

 _All of her collected money and gear was gone. No matter how old and worn they were, a bedroll and sleeping bag were invaluable, and this night was looking to be as cold and frozen as all the other these the last few weeks. Not wanting to stay in the area any longer, she pulled one of the scarves from her neck and used it to cover her head, and ears, and started trudging to a different part of the city._

 _As the hours passed, and the night kept getting colder, Blake knew she couldn't stay still lest she freeze. So she kept on wandering down the street. This was a part of town she had never been to before. Everything was so clean and tidy. No trash littered the sidewalk and there wasn't a single speck of graffiti anywhere. She doubted she would be able to stay here after sunrise without being arrested._

 _That's when she saw it, her heart leaping into throat. Yang's bakery._

"Blakey?" As she was slowly pulled from her dream by Yang voice, she could the warmth of the blonde's hand slowly caressing her face. "Are you alright?"

"Just dreaming." Blake looked up at Yang. Being the middle of the night, she knew there was no way Yang could see her, but with her faunus granted night vision she could see the concern that etched the blonde's face.

"Another nightmare? You were whimpering…"

There was something hauntingly familiar about the visage that looked down on her. In this darkness, Yang's eyes were a pale thistle, unlike the vibrant lilac she was accustomed to, and her hair had a straw-like sheen to it instead of its normal lustrous blonde. She had seen those features before.

"Just… my past."

"Don't worry, Blakey." Laying back down, Yang pulled her close. "No matter what happened back then, I'll always be here for you from now on."

As Yang's warmth soothed her to sleep, she slowly drifting back into her dreams.

 _She was hiding again, under the pile of debris that shielded her from Adam and Ilia. This time everything seemed more focused. Through the darkness, she could see, alongside her two old companions, a woman wreathed in pale straw hair pointing the wrong direction._

" _She went that way! I hope you catch her!"_

 _As Adam and Ilia took off the direction the woman had pointed, the mysterious helper looked back briefly into the alleyway, a glint of thistle gleamed in the night. Then she was gone._

 _She finally managed crawled out of the garbage pile as the dark night swirled and resolved into a jail cell, the cheer of several voice filtering into her cell more acute than last time._

" _Hey there, squirt!" Blake recognized the voice of the man who arrested her. "We haven't seen you in forever."_

" _Sorry. Classes have been keeping me busy, but this is my last quarter." A soft female voice spoke as well._

" _Did you at least bring us anything?" A second, unidentified man spoke._

" _Not this time. I was actually sent by my father." The woman sounded apologetic. "He wanted a few officers to come assist him with the new class at the academy. I guess he needs some people with experience to give guest lectures."_

" _Not a problem, Little Dragon." The first man spoke again. "I'll give him a buzz."_

" _Thanks!"_

 _As the voices died down, a whispered conversation caused her ears to twitch._

" _I need help. The sergeant brought her in, but she's done nothing wrong." The first whisper was of the officer who grabbed her backpack when she was arrested._

" _You need to let her out. This is wrong." The second voice was of the woman. "Here, this is the address of a faunus shelter I take my extra baked goods to. I'll talk to my father about this."_

" _Thank you."_

 _She heard the footsteps approaching, turning she once again saw the second officer approach with keys and her backpack. Though this time she saw a flash of blonde hair out of the corner of her eye as the mysterious woman was leaving the building._

 _As the officer unlocked the cell, the building swirled into darkness. A moment later she was stumbled out of the shelter into the darkness._

 _Struggling to keep back her tears, the same woman as before came strolling up to her. This time the conversation was muted. Whatever was said was lost on her, instead she was focused on the other woman's features. At least those she could make out in the dark._

 _Thistle eyes and straw hair._

Blake sat up out of her dreams with a start as the realization hit her. Even though Yang didn't know it was her, the blonde had been a guardian angel for Blake in some of her most difficult times.

Snuggling back into the side of her still sleeping girlfriend, she drifted off into a much more comfortable rest.

"Thank you, for always being there for me."

* * *

 **So I was experimenting with a different style of story telling. Hopefully it was pleasant!  
This is not the third part that was promised. I had many requests to explain how Blake ended up on the streets. This was my attempt with a romantic twist.  
I guess there is one more part coming. The actual ending I had planned!  
Let me know what you thought!**


	4. A Life for a Stray

**Oops! Its been a reeeally long time. Without further ado, here is the last part!**

* * *

"Blaaaaaakeeeeeey!" A warm voice filled both sets of her ears, causing one her cat ears to twitch. "Wake up! You can't sleep all day!"

Groaning the cat faunus cracked her eyes open just enough to see a grinning face wreathed in blonde, with two of the most beautiful lilac eyes she had ever seen in her life. Pulling Yang down into a quick kiss, Blake rolled over and grabbed her scroll off the nightstand.

"Yang… It's only 6am." Blake set the scroll back down and glared up at her girlfriend of almost a year.

"I know, but I miss you getting up early with me!" Yang threw her a lopsided grin that quickly blew through any measure of resolve that she had. "Ever since you started taking classes, you haven't been able to get up and help me bake. I kind of miss it, ya know?"

"Yeah, but isn't it New Years Eve tonight? Shouldn't you be sleeping so you can stay up late?"

"Old habits die hard I guess? C'mon. Get dressed and join me for breakfast."

"Only if there's eggs benedict." Blake smirked slightly to herself. Despite Yang's prodigious skill in baking, the blonde was equally bad at cooking most things besides basic breakfast foods. Blake had even seen the baker burn noodles when she used a too small of a pot by accident. She figured eggs benedict probably didn't fall inside Yang's skill set and couldn't help but tease her girlfriend for waking her up to early.

"Already ready. If you don't hurry, it'll get cold!"

Blake sat up in surprise. "You made that h-"

Yang silenced her with another kiss. "And they have tuna~." The blonde sang out as she retreated back down to the kitchen.

Rolling slowly out of the bed, reluctant to relinquish the warmth of her blankets, she found her loose sweatpants and tank top she discarded the night before. Shivering slightly in the open air she followed after her girlfriend down the stairs. Entering into the familiar kitchen, the warmth generated from the stove top and oven washed over her, along with the smells of eggs, bacon, and most importantly, tuna.

With Yang still standing at the stove top, she helped herself to several of the eggs benedict with tuna. Savoring the delicious treats, she zoned out as the warmth combined with her drowsiness threatened to overtake her again. It was way too early to be up.

Not paying attention she didn't notice Yang sneaking up on her until it was too late. The blonde's warm fingers found their way under the hem of her shirt and raked across her sides causing the faunus to burst out in exuberant laughter.

"Y-Ya-Yang! Stop!" Blake squealed at her girlfriend as she squirmed and was finally able to slip away from Yang's probing fingers. Escaping to the other side of the table she glowered at her tormentor. "You'll make me drop this, and then you'll have to make more tuna."

Yang chuckled to herself before wolfing down one last piece of bacon. "I'm going to shower and get everything set up. I'll see you upstairs." Yang leaned over and gave Blake a quick kiss on the cheek before meandering out of the kitchen.

As she heard the heavy footfalls of Yang making her way up the stairs, Blake let out a sigh of contentment. Finishing the rest of the eggs benedict and tuna she followed quickly upstairs.

"Just like last year!" Yang gave her a little nudge causing her to fall onto the couch with a small squeak of surprised. "Before we go over to Weiss and Ruby's, we're watching the entire original trilogy again."

"And with none of that special edition crap." Blake finished for the blonde and earned herself a massive grin in response.

"Yup." Yang leaned in dangerously close to her. "And this time you better not fall asleep."

Blake gulped in mostly pretend fear as she got the couch situated for their New Year's tradition. While it was improbably that Yang would do anything to her if she actually did fall asleep, Blake resolved to try to stay awake the whole time this year. Her efforts seemed in vain though, because as soon as Yang cuddled up next to her the warmth and comfort of the blonde's proximity cause her to want nothing more than to close her eyes and snuggle into Yang's embrace.

At least she managed to make it almost to the end of the second one where the whiny hero's hand was unceremoniously chopped off by a man claiming to be his father. Next thing she knew she felt a soft hand slowly stroked her cheek.

"It's time to go, Blakey"

Her eyes flashed open in a moment to be greeted with a gentle smile. Rolling off the couch she started towards the stairs before reconsidering. She had something she had to do first.

"Actually, I need to use the bathroom real quick." She spun around Yang and walked the other direction making sure she didn't make eye contact. Yang had this mysterious power to always figure out what she was up to.

"Ok." Yang responded cheerfully. "I'll meet you downstairs. Don't forget your gloves."

As the sound of footsteps heading down the stairs confirmed that Yang had left, Blake crawled under the bed and pulled out a box she had hidden under there. Inside were her textbooks from her previous semester, and amongst them, about the same size and thickness, was a carefully wrapped present for Yang. Something to show the other woman how much she meant to her.

Realizing the blonde would, playfully, chastise her if she actually forgot them, she grabbed her gloves and returned down the stairs. Walking into the bakery proper, she noticed Yang was facing away, gazing out the front windows into the gently falling snow outside. With Yang distracted, she quietly closed the distance between the two of them, surprising her girlfriend with a one armed hug from behind.

"Before we go, I have something for you." Blake held out the gift as she released Yang and the taller woman spun around to face her. "It's not much, but I remembered how much you said you liked astronomy when you were younger. I hope you like it."

Smiling at the confused look that the blonde gave her, she waiting patiently for Yang to unwrap her gift. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait for long as the exuberant woman almost instantly shredded the gift wrapping, scattering the tattered paper across the bakery floor.

"Pretty!" Yang exclaimed, though small amounts of confusion swirled around her visage. "What does this timestamp and these coordinates mean? Wait, is this-?"

"It's the picture of the stars right above your bakery, on the night and at the time I first stumbled inside cold, hungry, and broken. The moment my life turned around."

The faunus stumbled backwards as Yang almost tackled her in enthusiastic hug. Clutching the blonde to her in return, she felt a small dampness on her cheek.

"Yang, are you crying?"

"No…" Yang's voice was the softest it had ever been. The baker released her and took a step back, drawing a hand across her eyes. "It's just… My life turned around that night too. Leaving my door unlocked that morning was the best mistake I've ever made."

Yang took one last look at the frame before setting it down on one of the bakery tables. When the blonde turned her eyes back her, Blake saw an unusual look in her eyes. Yang was always a woman of resolve, but now she seemed to be particularly determined.

"It's beautiful, you're beautiful. Tonight will be perfect."

* * *

For the second New Year's Eve in a row, Blake found herself at Weiss' house. Though this year she was prepared. As soon as the door closed behind them, she heard the thundering of feet and a familiar squeal.

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnggggg!"

Blake shoved Yang in front of her, using the taller woman as a shield as a black and red streak tore down the hallway and bowled the blonde over in a tackle hug.

Stepping past the mass the was Yang and Ruby, she greeted the next person who treaded softly down the stone hallway.

"Welcome again, Blake." Weiss smiled at her warmly before gesturing for her to follow. "Let's leave these two to be reacquainted."

"It's nice to see you too, Weiss." Blake followed the short, white-haired woman into the kitchen. Though the house was smaller than what she would expect of a member of the richest family in Remnant, it was still very grandiose.

Weiss sighed softly. "Sometimes I swear that all that girl needs is a pair of dog ears to match her personality. She could see her sister every day and treat every meeting like they've been separated for years."

Hearing Weiss' comment, Blake and stopped walking, staring impassively at the shorter woman. Sensing her change of pace, Weiss stopped and turned about. When their eyes locked, Weiss' already pale complexion blanched at Blake's faux demeanor.

"Blake, I didn't mean it like that." She threw up her hands.

"It must be nice, every time you come home she is as excited to see you as the day before. Yang is alway tired from waking up too early in the morning." Blake, still held her face emotionless."

"I really didn't mean it!.. Wait, are you making a joke at me?"

Blake's emotionless visage finally cracked. Pranking Weiss was so much fun sometimes. Maybe she had been hanging out with Yang a little too much.

Weiss dropped her hands. "So… you're not upset?"

"Nope." Blake replied, mimicking Yang's traditional way of emphasising the word. Finally allowing herself to chuckle, she stepped forward, looping her arm through Weiss' and guided her back into the kitchen. "Suffice to say, I've banned laser pointers from the bakery."

As they entered the somewhat crowded room. She was happy to see the same people she met a year ago at this exact party. Releasing Weiss she grabbed the ladle out of the nearest bowl and poured the two of them generous glasses of sangria, something to sip on while they waited for their energetic girlfriends to catch up to them.

As the night continued on she made her rounds, talking with many of the people she had become friends with over the last year. Even though she had met up with most of them multiple times throughout the year, it was nice to see everyone in the same place at the same time.

Though she was slightly concerned when Yang seemed to disappear only a few minutes before midnight. Looking for her blonde girlfriend, she ended up cornered by Ruby.

"Heya, Blakey." The short girl smiled cheerfully at her her words slightly slurring. "Ready for a new year?"

"Hey, Rubes." Blake greeted her, using Yang's customary nickname for her younger sister. "I'm not sure. This one was pretty great."

Ruby continued to smile pleasantly at her. "You and Yang have had that effect on each other, ya know? I've never seen her so happy."

She smiled happily to herself at Ruby's comment. "Speaking of Yang, do you know where she is?"

"Nope." Ruby. "Why? What's up?"

"Well, it's almost midnight, and there was something important I wanted to ask her."

"Like, uh." The short girl slurred a little again, the night's alcohol continuing to affect her speech. "Like how important?" Ruby's eyes widened. "You're not going to ask her to marry you, are you?"

"No, I'm not proposing to her." Blake shot Ruby an inquisitive look as she responded with an awkward chuckle.

"Yeah, that would be sooo weird. Right?" The bubbly girl, glanced around awkwardly.

Before she had a chance to probe Ruby's antics Weiss appeared next to the red-clad girl and tugged on her arm.

"Come on, Dolt. It's almost midnight." Weiss then looked up at Blake and gestured towards the living room area. "Yang is waiting for you down there."

"Good luck, Blake." Ruby gave her a small cheer as she allowed Weiss to drag her away.

"Here we go." Blake whispered to herself.

Grabbing a knife from the table, she made her way down into the living room where everyone was and tapped it lightly against the glass she was holding. Slowly the chattering of the grouped people died down as everyone turned their attention to her.

Despite having everyone's eyes on her, she only sought to hold contact with one other's. Those brilliant lilac orbs. With the confidence she found in those eyes she began to speak.

"I've never done something like this, but I really needed to say this tonight. And I can't think of a better place to express this than in front of people I can call friends and family.

"When I was little, I was removed from my parents and made a ward of Vale. And since then I have been lonely. Even during the years I was in foster care before the White Fang took me in. Even after the White Fang took me in, I wasn't alone, but I was lonely."

Blake closed her eyes and took a long breath in before slowly releasing it, trying to calm her nerves. Finding Yang's eyes again, she found strength in that deep lilac.

"I was with the White Fang for four years. Four years of pain, squalor, hopelessness, and the worst, loneliness. I had no friends, no allies, no mentors. Even at school I was constantly bullied for being poor, for being behind in my studies, and for… for being faunus."

Even as she held Yang's eyes, she found herself beginning to tear up though not tears of sadness, but of happiness. Of thankfulness for what she had been saved from.

"I escaped from them when I was 16. And I thought I could make something new of myself. But I couldn't go to school because I needed to find work. But no one would hire me. And I couldn't get government aid without returning to the White Fang. I was lost, helpless, and homeless. But then I found Yang.

"She took me in, fed me, and clothed me. She found a place in her home and her heart for me. A lost, lonely faunus. And she introduced me to all of you the first friends I've had since I was little. I got to meet Ruby who is now like a sister to me, and Weiss, the best friend anyone can ask for who gave me the ability to go back to school and make something of myself."

Her tears now streamed freely as she continued to speak.

"And now I am warm and will never have to be cold and lonely again." She refocused on Yang. "You've done so much for me Yang. Is there anything I could possibly do for you?"

Silence overtook the room as Blake finished, only the small background noise of the TV persisted. Glancing around she could see genuinely happy looks on everyone's faces and even the traditionally stoic Weiss seemed to be wiping tears from her eyes. But the thing she noticed most was everyone seemed to be looking towards Yang. Following their looks, she glanced back up to Yang.

"Heh." Yang chuckled to herself, also wiping her eyes. "I spent months preparing for this, and the entire night psyching myself up, but in the end, you're the one that ends up making the speech. But yeah, there is only one thing I can ask of you."

Time seemed to almost stop for Blake as Yang's hand slipped into a pocket and she bent down onto one knee.

"Only one thing." The blonde smiled up at her, ignited a fire within. One that promised to always keep her warm, no matter how cold or difficult things became. "I will always be your warmth if you'll promise to be my heart forever. Will you marry me?"

* * *

 **Hope everyone had a wonderful New Year!  
It feels good to final finish this. With the direction that Volume 6 is heading, there will likely be more BumblebY on the horizon.**


End file.
